Wesley Sneijder's move to Manchester United is still on but the Inter Milan midfielder will have to lower his wage demands to seal a move to Old Trafford.
United have agreed a deal with the Serie A club for the Dutch international and a formal offer will be submitted this weekend, reports suggest.
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Sneijder has refused to rule out a move to Manchester, earlier this week he said, "There is always a chance something will happen but we will see."
Nevertheless, any move for Sneijder is dependent on the 27-year-old lowering his £250,000-a-week wage demands. United are reluctant to pay Sneijder more than £190,000-a-week but are prepared to offer the former Real Madrid player a generous bonus package as well as the incentive of increased earnings from image rights should he move to the Premier League.
Sneijder has been heavily linked with United throughout the summer, as Ferguson struggles to identify a replacement for the retired Paul Scholes.
But Scholes has been impressed by Sneijder and believes the playmaker is his ideal successor at Old Trafford.
"Yes, Sneijder's brilliant," Scholes told MUTV. "He's been brilliant for the last year or so with Inter Milan and Holland.
"I don't think it probably worked out as well as he would have liked at Real Madrid but he's a top player. I'm sure there's a lot of clubs who will be after him if he is available."
Ferguson has secured the services of winger Antonio Valencia for another four years after the Ecuadorian signed a new contract that ties him to Old Trafford until 2015.
The 25-year-old made a successful return to the first-team last season after five months out with an ankle injury and the United manager was delighted to finalise the new deal.
"Antonio has made a fantastic contribution since his arrival," the Scot said.
